


Water’s Sweet But Blood Is Thicker

by Botanophillic_Zombie



Category: Hetalia - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort/Hurt, I made my poor friends read this and they got so sad, Sorry guys, Statetalia (Hetalia), i guess it kinda falls under hurt/comfort tho, there isnt a happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:41:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22888609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Botanophillic_Zombie/pseuds/Botanophillic_Zombie
Summary: Wí Sápa doesn’t appreciate having to leave his state. He doesn’t appreciate having to stay in a city, or in a hotel. And he definitely doesn’t appreciate knocks on the door late at night.
Kudos: 3





	Water’s Sweet But Blood Is Thicker

Cars. That’s the first thing that got on his nerves. So. Many. Cars. His room was roughly high up, but from here he could  _ hear _ them- speeding and honking and- just- making a hell of a racket! 

Wí Sápa stretched in the middle of the room, trying to loosen himself up before going to sleep. Alfred sent him a letter-  _ again, instead of an Email,  _ giving the time and details of the bi annual nationwide meeting week. Twice a year everyone got pulled- no,  _ dragged _ to the central east side and stuffed into a hotel. Then, starting on  _ Sunday _ , each region met and talked, until the cycle went through all seven, plus variations (or sometimes eight, depending on weather or not New England was feeling like associating with the rest of their coast) And then-  _ again,  _ taking up  _ another  _ one of his Sundays, the whole nation met together. 

Usually a single candidate was elected to represent the group, but it took everyone too long to decide now and then, so  _ this  _ meeting took for goddamn ever. 

A car started honking angrily down on the street, and Wí Sápa grit his teeth as it set off a series of furious beeping noises. He wanted nothing more than to throw the window open and scream at them all to  _ shut the hell up,  _ but instead, he walked to the bathroom and started brushing his teeth. 

_ It’s just a week….  _ He reminded himself.  _ I’ll only be stuck here for a week….  _

He took a little longer than necessary, and as the cars quieted down again, the tension drained out of his shoulders. He spat into the sink and sighed.  _ Finally.  _ He was just about to shrug his sweater off and climb into bed, when-

_ Knock-knock-knock _

He immediately felt his body tense right back up again, and he slammed his eyes shut, sighing hard though his teeth. “Coming.” 

He opened the door, and immediately almost slammed it shut. Standing there, dressed for bed and holding the small rise of her right shoulder socket, was his twin sister. Matȟó Wayúhi, South Dakota. 

He gripped the door handle tightly enough to snap it, and glared, “What do you want.”

She met his glare head on with one of her own, “...You can guess. Why else would I be here.”

Judging by how tightly she was holding her shoulder joint, he could guess. Pain medication. Both he and his sister had been put through the wringer by Americans in the past. Where Wí Sápa was a fighter, Mathó Wayúhi was a defender. His old aches and pains came from puncture wounds that never healed right, or a joint that clicked too hard. Her pain came from  _ tourture _ wounds- and the memory of her right arm. It kept her up at night, and wouldn’t let her work during the day. 

Such an ailment could mean starvation for a farmer like them- and Wí Sápa might have been the only one who could understand that.

...But where he was bullied and neglected, she was praised and admired. He had half a mind to just leave her to suffer,  _ her _ friends would help her.  _ His _ would just call him pathetic.

“Why should I help you?” He asked incredulously, “If you don’t fall asleep tonight, I would look better tomorrow morning by comparison.”

Her expression darkened, “You’d look like a bastard, thats what, now  _ give them to me.” _

A car started honking again, and he squeezed the door handle even tighter, “I’d be lucky if anyone even noticed either way. You’d manage to steal the spotlight no matter what.”

She rolled her eyes, “So what's the point in not giving them to me?”

He had a cruel idea.

“Because if I don’t, you’d have to suffer up there while  _ smiling.”  _

As much as he enjoyed the pleased rush of emotions he got from the expression of absolute horrified  _ rage  _ that came over Mathó Wayúhi’s face, he felt a small stab of regret in the bottom of his heart.

_ How can you say that!?  _ A small voice whispered.  _ Would you really curse your own sister to that fate? Despite everything she’s gone through? _

His sister’s grip on her own shoulder was getting tighter- the tips of her fingers turning white, “You’re a real asshole, you know that?” She snapped, “I really hope you get whatever the fuck comes to you some day. I don’t know why I even came here.” 

She spun fast on her heel and stalked off down the hallway. Wí Sápa watched her go, his thoughts and ego warring with themselves, until finally- 

“Wait.”

Mathó Wayúhi stopped. She didn’t bother turning around. 

He forced himself to release the door handle, “.... I’ll give you the damn pills. Just this once.”

She turned her head to look over her shoulder slightly, “......What do you want for them? I know you’re planning on keeping me in debt.”

He cursed under his breath, “Don’t be difficult. You get them now or never.”

His sister stood pensively in the hallway, considering her options. They both knew that Wí Sápa was one-hundred-percent plotting something, but… 

Another spike of pain made her wince, and she sighed. 

“Fine.”

_ Christ.  _ He pushed the door open even wider, and walked back into his room. The invitation to come in and wait was left unsaid, but not unheard. When he started to dig through his suitcase, he heard her quietly creep into the room and make herself at home on his bed. 

He was about to snap at her for getting comfortable, but her pained breathing smothered any retorts. He sent a glare her way, but her eyes were closed. 

He went back to digging, and when he knocked the bottle with his hand, the jingle of pills made her perk up. 

“Here.” He tossed them to her, and she quickly snatched the bottle out of the air with her left hand.

“What's the dosage?” She asked, holding it between her knees and unscrewing the top. 

“Two, but…”  _ Your pain is greater than mine.  _ He almost bit his tongue trying to click his jaw shut. Even if it was obvious, he’d never admit it. 

“But what?” She asked, emptying a few out into her lap.

“But nothing. I… Forgot the new prescription. Its two.” 

Mathó Wayúhi gave him a mistrustful look, but he wasn’t giving her another answer. She had no choice, and downed them. 

Wí Sápa finished closing his suitcase and stood up to go wash his face. When he came back, his sister was… Still there. 

He glared, “Why are you still here.” A demand, not a question.

She crossed her legs pointedly, “I’m staying here until it stops hurting. I don’t trust you.”

Wí Sápa rolled his eyes, “Right, like I'd waste good drugs on  _ you _ .”

“Shut the he-  _ ah fuckfuckshit…! _ ” She held her shoulder tight again, and curled into herself, “...How long does this crap take to work?”

He shrugged, trying not to look too concerned, and walked over to the bed, “hell if I know. Now move over, if you’re staying at least make space.” 

“Asshole.” She grumbled, but scooted over accordingly.

He crawled onto the bed, and immediately sat as close to the edge as he could without falling off. He couldn’t even hope to try to sleep with his sister here, so he took out his phone and started skimming through news articles. 

_ Reach out to her, she’s in pain.  _ Murmured his instincts. 

_ Shut the fuck up.  _ He snapped back. 

They weren’t the kind of siblings to just…  _ get along.  _ They would  _ always  _ hate each other, one of the only things he was even  _ recognized as  _ was the guy who hated his sister. There was a small part of him- that despite the hatred and back stabbing, despite all the horrible things they said and did, still wanted to become a whole state. It was a small, shy,  _ weak  _ request that had been on the minds of his citizens lately.  _ Joining with South Dakota, just to gain even a scrap of notice. A plea for attention.  _ Wí Sápa was only ever half-sold on the idea. He didn’t want to come  _ crawling _ to her, pathetic and degraded, asking for help. She’d laugh in his face, and humiliate him further. After how much she ridiculed him already, that would make his life even more miserable.

If it ever happened, it would either be  _ her  _ who had to ask him, or his boss would have to force him. It had to be made clear it  _ was not  _ his idea.

Next to him, his sisters labored breathing wasn’t easing up. 

“Hey.....Give me another one.” She hissed.

“Fuck no.”

She glared at him from the side, “You already gave in,  _ give me another one.” _

He looked up from his phone to snap at her, “I told you the dosage was two. Two should be  _ enough. _ Why don’t you have your own?” 

Mathó Wayúhi sat up to face him head on, “What the hell would you know about how much pain I'm in!? The worst you have to deal with is that stupid click in your knee!”

“You can walk!” A weak response. He knew it.

“YOU CAN SLEEP! You can just do whatever you want and not have to worry about whether or not you’ll feel like a part of your body you don’t even  _ have _ is being  _ ripped off!”  _ She glared at him darkly, and dropped her voice to a low growl, “ _ now get me, another. Fucking. Pill.”  _

He couldn’t find anything to say that wasn’t obviously bullshit, so with a groan, he rolled off and walked to her side of the bed. He opened the container and handed her another pill, and she snatched it from him quickly and swallowed it with a grimace. 

“God, can’t you even get ones that don’t taste like dog shit?” 

He decided to hold onto the container when he went back to lay down, “If you care so goddamn much then get your own.”

Her body suddenly seized up again, and she grit her teeth until it stopped hurting enough to relax, “......I don’t have mine. Or else I wouldn’t bother asking you.” 

Outside, cars started honking again. Wí Sápa sighed hard in annoyance.

His sister looked at him in almost genuine confusion, “What  _ now?” _

For some reason, hearing  _ her  _ voice berating him at the same time as the cars going crazy grated on his nerves even  _ more. _

“ _ Shut up. Shut up.”  _ He hissed, slamming his hands over his ears. 

He shouldn’t have done that. Mathó Wayúhi took less than a second to look at the closed window, look at him, and realize she had  _ power.  _

“Why should I, huh? Why should I when you wouldn’t even dream of daring to listen to me, huh? You think I'll listen to you?”

Her voice hit him like a sound worse than  _ nails on a chalkboard.  _

“ _STOP_ _IT!_ SHUT THE HELL UP BEFORE I KICK YOU TO THE CURB GODDAMNIT!” He cried, pushing his hands further into his skull and curling into himself. 

God he felt pathetic… 

For some reason, she backed off, and the cars stopped honking soon after. Wí Sápa slowly uncovered his ears and sat up.

His sister was staring at him coldly, “ _ That’s  _ what it feels like when you don’t fucking listen to me.” 

“ _ Good.”  _ He spat, “ _ you deserve it.”  _

She looked… Almost appalled, and then annoyed, “Yeah. You know what? I don’t know why I thought that would work.” 

“Don’t play dumb, you’d wish the same on me in a heartbeat.” He shot back. 

“Well maybe I wouldn’t if you weren’t such a  _ dick _ !” 

…Wí Sápa didn’t have anything to say, so he just glared at the wall. 

_...She’s just saying that out of anger. She’d never like me unless I died. I can’t just get my hopes up based off of one sentence… _

Her body seized up again, but this time, she gave a small sob.

He looked at her in alarm, “Are- are you fucking  _ crying?” _

She wiped at her eyes, but even in the dark he could see the fat tears that started to roll. 

“Seriously, don’t even  _ fucking _ laugh at me right now. It hurts like  _ hell.”  _ She snapped, but her words were loosing their bite. 

For a moment, he just stared at her,  _ mystified.  _

Then a small thought flickered to life in the back of his mind.  _ …...Maybe… Maybe if I just…. Only for a little bit. If she doesn’t shove me off…. _

Before he could exactly process what he was doing, Wí Sápa leaned over, and hugged his sister. 

_ God  _ was this a weird thing to live through.

At first, Mathó Wayúhi tensed up, maybe thinking that he was lunging at her, but the second his arms met her back, and he gently pulled her to him, she let go of her shoulder and  _ clung  _ to him. 

“Not a word about this to  _ anybody.”  _ He threatened.

“I wouldn’t dream of it in a million years, now drop the act.” She responded, fisting her hand in the back of his sweater. 

For a moment they lay there, before her body stiffened again, and she bit back another sob. 

Wí Sápa dug into the depths of whatever he had left of an old, blackened heart, and slowly rubbed the left side of her back.

“Shh,” He soothed, surprising himself, “you always cry so much. You’ll get dehydrated and come whining to me for water.” 

That made her half-laugh, “ _ You’re  _ calling  _ me  _ whiny. Right.” Her voice shook on the last word, and she sniffled.

He sighed, “Yeah, you’re a whiny little sister, you know.” 

She poked her knee into his side threateningly, “Hey, I'm older. Just because N is before S doesn’t mean you’ve got any birthrights.” 

That made him roll his eyes, “Right. Sure. Not like you don’t have enough stuff going for you already.”

“Hey, if the Black Mountains weren’t  _ defiled _ then i’d be just as backwater as you are-“ She winced again, but not as hard as before, “You know that.” 

That spiked a sharp annoyance in him, so he let the conversation end with a, “yeah.”

Mathó Wayúhi caught the uneasiness and took a deep breath as if to ask a question- but then traffic slowed down, and cars started honking again. Immediately, anger shot through him, and he tensed, waiting for her voice on top of it. 

….But it never came. 

Gently, his sister ran her hand up his back, and rubbed it in the same way he had hers.

_ Relax.  _

The pain from the cars didn’t go away, but for some reason it was suddenly more… Bearable. 

He pressed his forehead to the side of her neck, and breathed in slowly. 

Eventually, they got moving again, and the noise stopped.

“...You sure hate the city, huh?” She asked, softer than normal.

_ I don’t need your pity.  _ “It’s so goddamn loud. All these people don’t need to be living next to each other. I can’t even walk an acre without bumping into like fifty humans on the way there. DC is nuts.”

She laughed a little again, and Wí Sápa didn’t know how he felt about the fact that he almost had to stifle the urge to  _ smile.  _

“It’s not so bad, you get used to it. It’s only loud until you hear it a lot.”

He shook his head, “I can handle them driving, just not the- Honking noise. I just can’t hear it without wanting to claw my ears off.”

She hummed, “sounds strange.” 

Another car honked, and he sighed. Mathó Wayúhi started rubbing his back again. 

“...So..” She said, after a period of silence had gone by, “....How long are you letting me stay?”

_ Damn.  _ He was hoping she wouldn’t ask that question. He wasn’t really sure why he was letting her stay  _ now,  _ let alone why he’d let her stay  _ longer _ . What was he doing? This was South Dakota in his arms! Mathó Wayúhi, he hated her! 

……But she was his  _ sister _ . And in pain. And harmless.

“...I don’t know.” He said truthfully, “Our meetings start at 8:30 though, and its 10:00 now, so you should get going soon…”

The idea of letting her go was unpleasant to him, and he was disgusted with himself for it.

_ Pull it together. She’s not your friend. Come tomorrow morning, she’ll trade you for breakfast.  _

But it was hard to be suspicious and paranoid when your little sister was snuggling herself further into your chest in a very ‘I-Think-I’m-Sneaky-Enough-But-I’m-Really-Not’ kind of way. 

“...I don’t want to go anywhere.” She confessed, once she deemed herself close enough. 

He sighed, “Why are you even still here?

She was silent, before- “Because my arm hurts. I told you. I’m staying until it doesn’t hurt.” 

An excuse. She was only here because she didn’t trust him, he was only letting her stay because she was forcing him to. Excuses, reasons.  _ Lies _ . 

Just what they needed.

“...Fine.” He said, but his voice wouldn’t snap like he wanted it to, “You can stay until it doesn’t hurt, but you had  _ better  _ be gone by sunup. Got it?”

_ You can stay the night. _

She heard the underlying message in his words, and nodded, “Got it.”

Gently, he grabbed the sheets and pulled them out from where they were- partially under the two states, and pulled them up and over, resting them near what was his shoulder and almost over her head. 

Half of his instincts screamed:  _ Danger! She could stab you! Gut you!  _ But he reached over her to place the pill bottle on the table, and turn off the lamp. 

Now, here in the dark, he felt himself fully relax. It was weird, normally he  _ enjoyed  _ sleeping alone, but for some reason, with his sister warmly against his chest, he felt….  _ Whole.  _ A part of himself he could never reach was finally…  _ Here.  _

He closed his eyes, and pressed his face into her hair. 

“....Goodnight.” He whispered.

His sister seemed to finally relax all the way aswell, “Goodnight.” 

He breathed in the smell of frybread, lavender, and fresh dirt, and let his brain conjure up pretty little lies of memories. 

He fell asleep to the dream of two children on the moor. 

  
  


In the morning, his first thought was  _ Too Bright. _

He had rolled over in his sleep somehow, and was now facing the curtains.

It was weird- he somehow felt so  _ cold.  _ But DC was far warmer than North Dakota. He groggily rolled over and sat up, putting his feet on the floor. 

Memories of the night before flickered to life, and what seemed rational then hit him in the face as a blatant  _ lie. _

_ You let her stay here because you wanted to, not because she forced you!  _ His thoughts began to howl.  _ You went soft on her because she cried! Don’t you remember what happened the last time you cried in front of her? She laughed! _

He clenched his jaw,  _ I know that. I know that. _

He stood up quickly, and marched over to the bathroom to brush his teeth and shower. 

How could he have done that? How could he have been so  _ stupid.  _ Such a pathetic little boy at heart- he  _ finally  _ made something for himself and the  _ second  _ his sister showed up, he abandoned it all to be near her again.

_ Stupid. _

He walked around his room in a towel once he was done with the shower, vigorously brushing his waist-long hair.

_ What would she do if she were here now?  _ A small part of him wondered.

_ Laugh at me for not being as muscular as she is.  _ He answered it. 

_ Would she? What if she offered to- _

_ I wouldn’t let her within one hundred acres of my hair. _

_ You just did. _

He violently got the comb through the last of the tangles, and got to work braiding it. He checked the time.

8:20

_ Shit. _

He arrived to the meeting almost late. Again. Everyone was seated and regarded him with mild disdain when he came in.

“North Dakota, you’re late.” Said the state at the head of the table.

“ _ Not yet.”  _ He snapped. 

He sat down at the end, far away from the head, far away from his sister. 

Silence. It was almost like they’d forgotten he wasn’t polite like his sister.

“Well... since North Dakota has finally decided to join us, lets start with the first of the alley states-“

His concentration phazed out as the speaker went on. Slowly, his gaze found its way to his sister, who was of course, listening.

She caught him looking, and gave him a dirty glare- like he was a stranger.

_ A stranger _ .

Well….. With how little he saw her, they as well would be. 

He didn’t know why he would have ever let himself think any differently.

**Author's Note:**

> nodak can make himself as tough as he wants- he can go through *hell* all over again, but so long as he keeps looking at sodak like shes his little sister, he’s gonna get stabbed in the guts the second he opens up- *every single time*


End file.
